Schedule of Classes

This course will provide an orientation to the professional field of finance. Topics include available career paths in finance and necessary industry qualifications, overview of industry certifications, finance curriculum options, introduction to fundamental knowledge and skills required, practical application of investing and saving decisions, and review of the functions of the financial markets.

Principles and practice of management of personal income, wealth, and credit: budgeting, sources of financing, savings, estate planning, and institutions of personal finance.

Capital budgeting and principles of financial management. External and internal sources of funds: costs and profitable uses in business organizations.

This course provides a comprehensive overview of principles of investments, and covers topics such as asset pricing, fixed income, security analysis and portfolio management, derivatives, market efficient and behavioral finance. Additionally, focus is on security valuation using fundamental analysis, and on the elements of the investment policy statement.

Operation of financial institutions and interrelationships between their operations and economic activity; credit flow and money movements, in the context of financial institutions' operations. Structure and organization of the financial system; emphasis on markets and intermediaries.

The role of commercial banks in the capital markets; introduction and application of financial management concepts, tools, and techniques to the fundamental financial decisions that managers of commercial banks make. Focus is on the dynamic banking environment, regulations, nature of risks, asset and liability management, investment and credit decisions, and financing decision of commercial banks.

Principles of investing by and for individual investors. Coverage includes fundamental concepts, theories, principles and strategies of investment planning. Examines various aspects of investment planning strategies emphasizing applicable knowledge and techniques with which a financial service professional provides client service.

Interpretation and analysis of corporate financial statements. Current annual and interim reports as a source of data for management, stockholders, and creditors.

Introduction to portfolio theory. Diversification concepts. Market-oriented capital asset pricing model, options pricing model, and arbitage pricing theory. Market efficiency. Relationship of portfolio theory to fundamental and technical analyses. Portfolio management and evaluation techniques.

Studies undertaken by academically qualified students under guidance of a faculty member. Open to Finance and Quantitative Methods Department majors only. May be repeated under different topics for a maximum of six hours credit.